06/07/2026
Downtown Lee's Summit Main Street deeply values our partnerships with the City of Lee's Summit, the Lee's Summit Police Department, and the Lee's Summit Fire Department. The safety of our community, businesses, and vendors is always our highest priority, and we are grateful for the professionalism and quick response of our public safety partners last night.
Ahead of this year's Downtown Days, we implemented a number of changes designed with safety and families in mind. These included additional security personnel, added security lighting throughout the festival grounds, an earlier nightly close, layout adjustments to improve crowd flow, and a carnival centered on rides for children 12 and under.
We will work closely with our partners to make additional changes so community events like Downtown Days remain as safe as possible for everyone who attends. We are grateful for the support of our businesses, residents, visitors, and volunteers, and we remain committed to our mission of ensuring Downtown Lee's Summit, the heart of our community, remains a safe and welcoming place for all.
Lee’s Summit Police Respond to Incidents at Downtown Days Festival
Lee’s Summit, MO — The Lee’s Summit Police Department is providing preliminary information regarding a series of disturbances that occurred Saturday evening during Downtown Days.
Officers responded to repeated disturbances in and around the Downtown Days special-event area, including reports of fights, assaults, property damage, large groups of juveniles refusing to disperse, and a weapons-related call. As the volume and severity of calls increased, LSPD requested mutual aid from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Contrary to information circulating on social media, LSPD did not deploy any pepper spray, bear spray, chemical munitions, or tasers during the response. Officers issued crowd-dispersal warnings due to continued noncompliance. At this time, there are no reports of serious injuries to the public or law enforcement.
The first significant incident occurred at approximately 7:40 p.m. near the carnival area, where multiple individuals were exposed to bear spray, deployed by a juvenile within the crowd. Throughout the evening, Fire responded to requests for assistance related to exposure to bear spray. Officers recovered three cans of bear spray. In a separate incident, officers recovered a reported firearm after a foot pursuit involving a juvenile. Several juveniles were detained and later released to a guardian.
Ahead of this year’s event, several proactive safety and security measures were coordinated between LSPD and event organizers. These included increased PD staffing, layout adjustments to improve crowd flow, camera trailers, and additional lighting. There was also increased private security, reduced event hours, and adjustment to the carnival size to focus on rides appropriate for children under 12 years of age.
There will be continued discussions with event organizers and City officials about additional improvements and safety measures for future events. Anyone with information, video, or reports related to criminal activity during Downtown Days is encouraged to contact the Lee’s Summit Police Department. This remains an ongoing investigation.
